Local News in Brief : Fullerton : Earthquake-Damaged Church Awarded Funds

The First Church of Religious Science in Fullerton, damaged in the earthquake of Oct. 1, 1987, received $98,068 in state disaster relief funds this week.

The grant allows the 250-member congregation to begin repairing the red-brick Gothic structure, which was built in 1909. The church building is considered the oldest in north Orange County, said its minister, the Rev. Marlene Oaks.

The church has been closed for more than a year, during which members have sold T-shirts and staged concerts, rummage sales and raffles to raise funds toward the estimated $200,000 needed for repairs. The city provided a loan for 25% of repair costs, Oaks said. The church qualified for state funds because its basement and sanctuary are used by the public, said Chuck Daleo, a Fullerton building official.

Oaks said repairs will require 2 to 3 months to complete, adding that it is not certain when the work will begin.

Church members have been meeting at Temple Beth Tikvah in Fullerton on Sundays. On Jewish holidays, they have met in Methodist churches, a Masonic lodge and once in a park, Oaks said.